Rutabaga's Reads 2012: Part 1

This is Part 1 of Rutabaga’s Reads 2012. I have no intention of blogging about every single book I’ve read, but I do plan to blog about a fair share of them.

            Which of these books have you read? Which might be of interest to you? Do you have any recommendations for me? Let me know your thoughts about books in the Comments section.

The Books of Elsewhere: The Shadows (June 15, 2010) by Jacqueline West.

A middle-grade novel that pits eleven-year-old Olive Dunwoody against foes in paintings. She senses more to them and finds she can even venture into them when she finds a certain pair of glasses. She can travel into the disquieting world of Elsewhere. There is something ominous about the place and the paintings are not all as they are depicted. She gains a few interesting cats by the names of Horatio, Leopold and Harvey (they came with the house). She even finds a sort-of friend in Morton, one of the boys in a painting, though at times he seems like a really annoying brother.

            It was a fun book to read and a fast read as well. It would be a good read for someone who likes the length of chapter books, but perhaps isn’t fully ready to cut oneself off completely from pictures (of which there aren’t many, but there are still pictures, nonetheless).

 

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod (2007-2010) by Heather Brewer.

I read this series after all five books were available: “Eighth Grade Bites,” “Ninth Grade Slays,” “Tenth Grade Bleeds,” “Eleventh Grade Burns,” and “Twelfth Grade Kills.” If you’re not familiar with this series, but think it sounds like it has something to do with vampires, you are absolutely right. Vladimir Tod is a teenaged vampire. However, he can go out in the sunlight without bursting into flame, turning to dust or sparkling, though it does take a healthy amount of sunscreen. He’s got a human best friend, falls for a human girl, uncovers secrets about himself (as the Pravus) and his family and, of course, has to defend himself from multiple foes, including – what else? – vampire Slayers. Being a teen can really bite sometimes, you know?

            Some of you might be thinking, “More vampire books? Really?” But give this series a chance, for this isn’t a story about devastatingly handsome or ridiculously good-looking people, immortal or not. It’s written for teens and reads as such. Brewer has a cohesive storyline through all the books and didn’t lack in humor. Give one, two or all five of these books a chance if you can stomach more vampires!

Dark Souls (Aug. 1, 2011) by Paula Morris.

Miranda Tennant sees dead people. And now she’s visiting York, England, supposedly the most haunted city in the world. There she meets an intense boy named Nick who knows all of York’s nooks, crannies and histories. She is distracted by him, but even more distracted by another attractive and mysterious boy who stays in the house across from where Miranda is staying with her family. As Miranda explores York’s mysteries, she discovers that something dangerous is being planned. Can she stop it?

            This young adult (YA) novel read fast for me, though it felt more like upper middle-grade than YA. While not an overly surprising book, it represented ghost stories finely. The book was somewhat creepy, but not in a way that would give one nightmares or even remotely bother anyone. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a ghost story, though I expect it’d appeal more to the female set than the male.

Daughters of the Sea: Hannah (Sept. 1, 2009) by Kathryn Lasky.

Hannah Albury is an orphan who discovers she gets sick the further away from the sea she is. She comes across as a modest, yet determined, young lady. She gets back to the coast and receives a job as a scullery maid with a well-to-do family with three daughters, though the oldest is a troubled sort who gives Hannah more trouble than anyone deserves. How does Hannah cope with the eldest daughter and the girl’s strange cat? Furthermore, the wealthy family commissions a painting by a young and very up-and-coming artist by the name of Stannish Whitman Wheeler. He harbors his own secret and makes Hannah feel like he knows something about her. What is his story and how will it affect Hannah?

            I’d recommend this to the female teenaged set. It’s a good novel for upper middle-grade and early YA readers.

Daughters of the Sea: May (Mar. 1, 2011) by Kathryn Lasky.

May Plum is an adoptee, found by her father floating in the sea. She is a patient and obedient daughter, though her patience wanes as the call of the sea seems to get stronger. She lives on a small island and helps her loving and caring father keep the lighthouse. Her mother is an overly dramatic woman who’s likely a hypochondriac, always claiming medical afflictions. May catches the eye of the predatory Rudd Sawyer and the intelligent and kind Hugh Fitzsimmons. There is even a connection to Hannah. What is it? How does May handle her mother? How differently does she react to the attentions of Rudd and Hugh? Does she answer the call of the sea?

            As with “Hannah,” I’d recommend this book to the female teenaged set. It would also be a good novel for upper middle-grade and early YA readers. You wouldn’t have to read these books in order, but it would be easier to, as there are references to characters in “Hannah” not introduced into detail in “May.”

The False Prince (Apr. 1, 2012) by Jennifer A. Nielsen.

This is Book One in Nielsen’s The Ascendance Trilogy. The sequel will be out next spring. It follows an orphan named Sage who was chosen by Conner, a conniving nobleman of the Carthyan court. Sage, along with three other orphans, are to compete for the role of Prince Jaron, lost four years before after the ship he was on sank after being attacked by pirates. Sage may be an ideal candidate for the role of false prince, except for his less-than-winsome personality. He has bad manners and a defiant nature. His character would rather reek of mischief than maturity.

            “The False Prince” is a medieval fantasy. It read to me as a book between upper middle-grade and YA. Nielsen writes the book from Sage’s perspective deftly and with plenty of humor. There are some well-executed twists and the book held my attention throughout. It would be a terrific read for anyone, but especially reluctant male readers.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (June 7, 2011) by Ransom Riggs.

Sometimes I do judge a book by its cover -- or its title, which is exactly what I did with this book. Interesting title, and I wanted to read it. This novel incorporates unique photographs into the story. As in, each photo is tied to the story and has a story behind it, and the stories were told to Jacob by his grandfather. These were stories that in later years Jacob believed to be the product of imagination and not fact. But when a terrible tragedy occurs, Jacob goes searching. What will he find? Was his grandfather telling the truth?

            True to the title, the book was a peculiar read. It’s definitely not like any book I’ve read before (due in large part to the photographs), and for that reason I appreciated this book. If you’re in the mood for an unusual read, you should pick up a copy of this book.

Ruined (Aug. 1, 2009) by Paula Morris.

Rebecca Brown is sent to New Orleans to stay with her tarot-card-reading aunt while her dad is overseas on business, and her discomfort is an understatement. Despite the impressive backdrop of New Orleans, Rebecca thinks that NYC is the only great city in America. After all, what could New Orleans provide her that she hasn’t come across living in NYC? For one, the very appealing Anton Grey who’s taken an interest in her. And two, a bunch of rich girl snobs who attend the same snooty prep school she’s stuck attending (so maybe that’s not new, but it isn’t in NYC!). And three, a new friend named Lisette.

            The thing is, Lisette is a ghost. She’s not just any ghost, though. She’s a specter with a secret over a century-and-a-half old. And as Rebecca gets caught up in the story of cover-ups, curses and family secrets, she learns that her own history may be tied to it. Can Rebecca make sense of the past before it’s too late?

            As with “Dark Souls,” “Ruined” is a YA ghost story. Rebecca’s voice comes across as the teenager that she is, making her seem like an authentic character. The novel isn’t one made to make you think deeply about ghostly plotlines, so if you’re looking for lots of foreshadowing, you’ll be disappointed. But since I wasn’t looking for that, I found “Ruined” to be a fast, enjoyable read. Additionally, I felt that Morris painted a wonderful literary picture of the vibrant and intriguing city that New Orleans is.

The Traitor’s Smile (Sept. 16, 2011) by Patricia Elliott.

This is a teen read that takes place during the French Revolution. It is the sequel to “The Pale Assassin” and further follows the striking and wealthy aristocrat Eugénie de Boncoeur. In this novel Eugénie has arrived at the home of her uncle and cousin in England. She finds that she has differing views from her cousin based on what she has lived through in France, and surely the Pale Assassin’s minions must be on the hunt for her. Additionally, her brother, Armand, is stuck in a prison awaiting a dishonest trial which will surely send him to the guillotine. What’s a girl to do?

            Like with any war or revolution, there is blood, and things are messy. Sides are taken and double-crossing isn’t a new occurrence. This book has that with its historical fiction thriller stance. If you’re a fan of such books, check it out from your local library. I didn’t muddle through the book, but it definitely picks up a bit more steam halfway through the book when Eugénie, her cousin and a balloonist ultimately find themselves in France.

 

Tuck Everlasting (Jan. 28,1975) by Natalie Babbitt.

For those of you who have seen the movie but never read the book, the movie pretty closely follows the book. I suppose it helps that the book is less than 140 pages and not, say, 500 pages long. But as short as the story is, Babbitt fits in wonderful storytelling, laying out the storyline of young Winnie Foster, who ended up having a remarkable summer starting on one sticky day in August when she met the immortal Tuck family (no vampires involved!). Winnie learns they drank from a certain spring, and she hears stories of what it’s like to never age, never get sick, never be hurt. In the end, she’ll have to decide which road to follow: the one with an end or the one without.

            “Tuck Everlasting” is a terrific read. If you don’t have this little book on your bookshelf, it needs to be there. Though the story takes place in the late 1800s, it really is a timeless literary treasure.